The 21-year-old’s resurgence is remarkable. In November last year, disaster struck in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier when he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The injury shook him so badly that he initially feared surgery until Leicester City teammates encouraged him to go under the knife.
Months of rehabilitation followed, with Issahaku only returning to ball work in the summer. He missed the early part of pre-season, managed just one start in friendlies - where he crowned his return with a lovely solo goal against Fiorentina.
Flying start
This season, Fatawu has started all three of Leicester’s league matches, immediately establishing himself as a creative force.
Against Sheffield Wednesday, he won the most duels and completed the highest number of dribbles on the pitch.
Over the weekend, his precise strike against Charlton secured all three points for the Foxes, a reminder of the flair the Ghanaian possesses.
The numbers underline his strong return. He has completed more dribbles (11) than any other player in the Championship so far, ranks sixth for progressive carries, and leads the division in progressive passes.
On top of that, only two players in the league have taken more shots than him. Clearly, Leicester see him as central to their promotion push and rightly so.
Why Ghana Should Wait
But while his early form is encouraging, the first international break has come too soon for Fatawu. Since his return, he has yet to complete 90 minutes.
Leicester have carefully managed his load, resting him for the Carabao Cup game against Huddersfield to avoid setbacks.
Throwing him into the unforgiving intensity of World Cup qualifiers on African soil risks undoing months of progress. International duty is more than just 90 minutes: it’s long flights, heavy travel schedules, tough pitches and physical matches. For a player still finding his rhythm after major knee surgery, that’s a dangerous gamble.
There’s also the psychological element. His ACL tear came while representing Ghana, a wound that might not have fully healed mentally. Easing him back slowly, in familiar surroundings at Leicester, is the smarter approach.
By the time the September break arrives, Fatawu would have played fewer than four competitive games. Under normal circumstances, that might be enough.
But after such a serious injury, he needs more time to build resilience.
The Bigger Picture
The Black Stars’ ultimate aim is qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Mali and Chad are opponents Ghana should be confident of overcoming without risking the long-term health of one of their brightest talents.
With the likes of Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Inaki Williams, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Jerry Afriyie, etc, Ghana has enough to maintain their grip on top spot for the World Cup qualifiers during the September international break.
Fatawu’s time will come again. But right now, protecting his recovery is more important than rushing him back into the national team. Ghana need him at his peak for the bigger battles ahead, not sidelined again because he was pushed too soon.
The Black Star Watch is a compelling weekly column written by Owuraku Ampofo, a seasoned sports journalist with over five years of experience reporting on Ghanaian players. This column aims to uncover patterns, address pressing questions, and illuminate trending topics surrounding Ghanaian footballers.